Worst Nightmare
by Klutzygirl33
Summary: Set post "Puttin' on the Ritz". Alex struggles to deal when his past comes back to haunt him. Jo is supportive.


**I don't own Grey's Anatomy and never will. No copyright infringement intended.**

_Author's Note_: Alex is my favorite and I've been waiting for a storyline like this for years. Excited to see what happens next. Hope you enjoy!

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Alex was pissed beyond belief, but underneath all his anger was fear. The man he had never expected to see again had showed up in his hospital and he was floundering. He didn't blame Jo for jumping the gun, but he hated that she had told him. Was he supposed to say anything to the man who had abused him? Should he confront him? He really wishes he could just avoid him forever, but Alex knows that's impossible.

His worst nightmare has smacked Alex right in the face (he realizes that's a horrible analogy even as he's thinking it) and now he has to face his past, the one he's tried so hard to forget.

He hopes Jo isn't furious with him for bolting like that, but he had to get out of there. Alex doesn't even want to be in the same building as him. As soon as he got home, Alex stomped up the stairs to his bedroom and just sat down on his bed. And that's when it finally hit him. His father was back and he wasn't going anywhere for the foreseeable future.

He wasn't surprised when he heard the door open and close. Jo's heels clattered on the stairs as she rushed in. "I am so sorry for what I did at the hospital. I thought you wanted to know and so I told you before you finished talking. Can you forgive me?"

Alex nodded. "Yeah." His voice cracked and he wished it hadn't. He did not want to fall apart. He couldn't afford to.

She noticed, but didn't say anything about it. "How are you?"

He shrugged. "I'm okay."

Jo's eyes narrowed. "You're lying, but I'll let that go for now."

"How nice of you."

She sat down next to him and squeezed his hand in support. "I'm here for you whenever you're ready. If you're not, that's okay too." Jo was determined to be supportive. Alex needed her right now and she had to step up to the plate.

"Good to know. And I'm not mad at you, just angry at the situation in general," he explained.

"I figured." Jo still felt guilty for jumping the gun, though, and she was determined to fix it.

"Should I talk to him? I don't want to, but I think I have to." Alex was dreading the visit he knew he was going to have to make. This definitely wasn't going to end well for him.

"Whenever you're ready." Jo wasn't sure if he would ever be ready, but didn't say that to him. He didn't need to hear it right now. She had already told Meredith because she figured she should know as Alex's best friend. Meredith had thanked Jo for telling her and promised she'd call in the morning to see how Alex was dealing with the bomb that had been dropped on him.

"Should I tell my family?" Alex didn't think he should – they had enough problems as it was and he didn't want to add to them. It wouldn't be a good idea to make them go through what he is.

"I don't know. You have to decide that on your own," Jo answered.

Alex felt the tears building up again, but he didn't want to cry. That man didn't deserve his tears, didn't deserve anything from him. Jo saw he was close to falling apart and started rubbing his back. "I'm okay," he tried to assure her, but he winced when his voice cracked again.

"You're not okay."

"I'm really not." He choked back some sobs, determined to stay strong about this. He didn't want to cry nor did he want to remember everything that was playing on repeat in his mind.

Jo struggled not to fall apart herself because she needed to be Alex's rock right now. She could fall apart in private later (maybe in the shower) when he wasn't around. "You can let go, Alex. It's okay. No one's going to judge you."

And that was all the permission Alex needed. He finally broke apart and dissolved into sobs. Jo pulled him into her arms and let him cry it out. "Sorry," he mumbled as his voice hitched.

"Don't be sorry." She didn't begrudge him for crying – Alex clearly needed this and she wasn't about to let him hold it all in. That wasn't healthy. Besides, he had comforted her a few times and it was time she returned the favor.

Alex thought he was starting to feel a little bit better and he was running out of tears but then they started up all over again. He hated that he was crying on his girlfriend, but he couldn't stop. It really sucked. "Fuck."

"You want to punch or kick some useless object again?" Jo questioned.

He shook his head as the sobs continued to shake his entire body. "No."

"Okay then." She gave him an encouraging smile (one that he missed because his face was buried in her chest) and waited for the tears to stop. Jo continued rubbing his back.

Alex was exhausted and had a headache by the time the sobs finally stopped. He felt like shit now. He hated that he had broken in front of Jo, too. "Stay with me tonight," he pleaded hoarsely, immediately wishing he hadn't. Alex didn't like being this vulnerable, but his worst nightmare had come back to haunt him. He figured he was entitled to this small meltdown.

"I'm not going anywhere," Jo promised. She changed in her pajamas as fast she could and then joined him in the bed.

"I love you." Alex just needed to say it.

"Me too. Now shut up and go to sleep."

He laughed despite himself and his eyes closed within a minute. The exhaustion and his swirling emotions had finally gotten the best of Alex.

Things were a little better in the morning for him, but not by much. Alex still had to see and talk to his father and he was dreading it. But he got through the day with Meredith and Jo by his side. Alex had to face his past head-on and it was not going to be easy.


End file.
